Clothes hanger



June 14, 11949. ALKlN 2,473,408

CLOTHES HANGER Filed March 22, 1947 Patented June 14, 1949 2,473,408 CLOTHES HANGER Gerald Thompson Alkin, Kiama, New South Wales, Australia Application March 22, 1947, Serial No. 736,541

v In Australia March 13, 1946 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires March 13, 1966 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to clothes hangers and in particular to such hangers which are equipped with clips from which garments are suspended.

It is known to provide hangers with clips in the nature of two pairs of spring jaws for the suspension of mens trousers by the cuffs, In this known construction the aperture between the jaws, in which the garment is clipped, is longitudina] of the hanger, and the edges of the cufls are merely clipped, without longitudinal tension, between the jaws. This construction is not well adapted to the suspension of other garments, and cannot satisfactorily apply tension.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved form and disposition of clips which are adapted to suspend other garments, such as skirts, and which will permit a tension to be applied to the clipped part of the garment, for instance the waistband of a skirt, to remove creases.

In order to fully describe the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings which depict a preferred embodiment thereof and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the hanger, with a skirt waistband suspended therefrom.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a clip, in an artificially extended condition clearly to show its construction.

3 is a cross-sectional elevation of the clip.

The hanger comprises a centrally located body 5 formed at its ends with upwardly opening slots 6 and '5 respectively in which two arms 8 and 9 are respectively pivoted by pins I0 and It. The slots support the arms in the horizontal operative position shown in Fig. 1 and permit the arms to be folded to the vertical position for storage.

Arms 6 and 9 are fitted at their outer ends with shoulder pads I2 and 113 respectively. The hanger is suspended by a hook M in body 5.

The arms illustrated are of rectangular cross section, and on each is mounted an identical clip I5, reversely mounted on the two arms as hereinafter more fully described.

Each clip 55 comprises two co-operating ele-- ments i6 and i1 formed respectively with slots I8 and I9 which are slidably engaged over the hanger arm 8 (or 6). Slot iii in element I6 is a substantially neat fit over arm 8, so that whilst r element I6 may be slid on arm 8, it can cant thereon only to a minor degree, and always remains substantially at right angles to the arm.

Slot 99 in element ll, however, has a substantial clearance below arm 8, and consequently,

2 can be both slid, and canted in the vertical plane, in relation to the arm 8.

Element I6 is formed with a pivot nose 20 which engages in a pivot recess M in element IT,

below which pivot point the elements are urged together by a tension coil spring 22 engaging in bores 23 and 24 in elements I6 and I! respect ively and secured therein by expanded end coils 25 and 26.

Below spring 22 the elements I6 and I! are formed with co-operating jaws 2! and 28 respectivell, which jaws are formed respectively with convex teeth 29 which engage with a concave recess 30. At their upper ends the elements I6 l and I! are formed with finger pieces 3| and 32 respectively, by which the clips are manipulated.

On the hanger the clips I5 are mounted with their elements I6 inwardly, and their canting elements I! outwardly. In use the jaws of each clip are opened by squeezing finger piece 32 towards finger piece 3|, pivoting element I! on element I6, which movement is permitted by the clearance of slot I9 on arm 8 or 9. A garment,

such as the waistband 33 of a skirt (Fig. 1), is

entered in the jaws of the clips I5, which are then slid outwardly on their arms 8 and 9 to apply horizontal tension to the waistband. As this tension is applied to the jaws 21, 21 of the clips below the arms 8 and 9, it causes the slots I8, I8 to bite on the arms 8 and 9 and so jamb in the adjusted position. If greater security against slippage of element I6 on its arm is needed (as for instance on very smooth arms of plastic or plated metal), the lower edge of arms 8 and 9 may be slightly roughened or serrated as shown at 34 in Fig. 3.

It will be noted that the opening between jaws 2'5 and R8 is transverse of the hanger as a whole, whilst in previous constructions this opening was longitudinal of the hanger. This feature, coupled with the construction of the clips, permits tension to be applied, longitudinal of the hanger, to a garment suspended therefrom.

In the preferred construction illustrated the arms 3 and 9, and the co-operating slots I8 and It in the clips, are shown as rectangular in crosssection. The same results could, of course, be obtained with arms and slots of other cross-sectional shapes. Other variations of detail could be made in the preferred construction without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a clothes hanger provided with a pair of arms, of a pair of garmentsupporting clips, one for each said arms, said clips being slidable on their respective arms and comprising each a pair of jaws arranged with the opening between the jaws transverse of their arms, one of the jaws of each clip being mounted on its respective arm to remain substantially at right angles thereto, and the other one of said jaws being pivotable on the first mentioned jaw, in a direction lengthwise of the arms, to open the Jaws to receive a garment.

2. The combination with a clothes hanger provided with a pair of arms, of a pair of garment-- supporting clips, one for each said arms, said clips being slidable on their respective arms and comprising each a pair of jaws arranged with the opening between the jaws transverse of. their. arms, one of the jaws of each clip being mounted on its respective arm to remain substantially at right angles thereto, and to bind on said arm when pressure longitudinal of the arm is applied thereto, and the other one of said jaws being pivotable on the first mentioned jaw, in a direction lengthwise of the arms, to open the jaws to receive a garment.

3. The combination with a clothes hanger provided with a pair of arms, of two garment-supporting clips slidably mounted one on each of said arms, each clip comprising two co-operating elements mutually joined for relative pivotal movement and formed with a pair of jaws spring loaded to closed position, an aperture in each element for mounting -it on its respective arm, the aperture in the one of said elements being a neat fit on the arm to maintain its associated jaw substantially at right angles to the arm, the aperture inthe companion element having clearance on the arm to permit pivotal movement on the first named element to open said jaws, said apertures being arranged in the elements that the opening -between the jaws extends at a right angle to the longitudinal direction of the arms.

GERALD THOMPSON ALKIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the 

